Pressure and Fluids

What the unit covers

The listed resources start with the basics. Pressure is the force acting per unit area, measured in pascals or newtons per square metre. Several mind maps called Pressure set out pressure as thrust divided by area, and go on to pressure in fluids. The mind map Pressure/Density adds density as mass divided by volume.

From there the unit moves to buoyancy. The mind maps Buoyancy, Principle of Archimedes and Up thrust and Archimedes' Principle cover the upward force on an object placed in a fluid. The Buoyancy, Density and pressure recap mind map pulls these ideas together.

Moving fluids and harder ideas

Further down the list, the Bernoulli Equation mind map explains pressure head and velocity head. Other maps cover Viscosity and Non-Newtonian Flow, Hydrostatic and Manometers, Capillarity, Compressibility and Hydraulics. These suit university students and anyone going beyond the basics.

Where to start

1. Read the slides in Chapter 7 Pressure, or open the mind map Pressure, for the core definition.
2. Try the quiz Pressure, Forces & Moments. It asks you to calculate pressure and moments.
3. Work through the flashcards in GCSE Physics - Pressure, then the deck Force and Pressure, AQA Chapter 11.
4. Move on to buoyancy maps and the quiz Density, Buoyancy and Viscosity.
5. Finish with Bernoulli and The Energy Equation.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a map first, then take a quiz without looking. Wrong answers show which branch to reread. Flashcards then help you memorise units, definitions and formulas. Exam-minded students will find resources that mention GCSE Physics, IGCSE Physics and the MCAT, including the deck MCAT Fluids.

Where it fits

This unit sits in the Mechanics strand of Physics. Pressure and Fluids follows naturally from work on forces. Pick a resource that matches your level, and when you are ready, make your own flashcards or map to fill any gap you spot.